Broken Walls
by bloodyamore
Summary: Angst warning, MelloxNear "Blue eyes glistened in the dark. Near felt a knife against his throat. Still, he couldn’t help but smile." Story paired w/ Illogical Weakness.
1. Near

_Author's Note: This is a sequel to Illogical Weakness, but it's not necessary to have read it before hand. Also, yes I know Near and Mello communicated through Halle. Mello's just a liar in this story. One of the lines in Illogical Weakness begged me to write more._

_There will probably be one more chapter of this._

* * *

'_In a matter of moments, Near's protective wall was no more than a pile of ruble surrounding him. Mello's face, still calm, smiled just a little. Near's walls, they were so easily broken.'- Illogical Weakness_

**_Broken Walls_**

_Years pass, children grow, and innocence is lost. Still, in the end, people never change. They remain as weak as they were the day they were born._

xX--Xx

_:Near:_

Blue eyes glistened in the dark. Near felt a knife against his throat. Still, he couldn't help but smile. _It had been such a long time._

His captor growled, unpleased by the albino's happiness. "Any particular reason you're smiling?" he whispered in the dark, pushing the knife harder against snowy flesh, keeping his rival pinned to the wall with his free hand.

Near continued to smile even as his mind told him not to. But logic never can control emotions. Mello was proof of that. And as he continued to hold the knife to Near's neck he only proved that more.

"Why did you come?" Near's joy came out as cocky arrogance when he spoke. It didn't help he still had that demented looking smile on his face.

The blonde glared, eyes full of malice. He hated Near so much, he wanted to slit the boy's throat then and there. But he didn't come to kill the boy today, so he wouldn't. _Hopefully._

Near's smile slowly disappeared upon seeing Mello so angry, and slumped, no longer exited or joyful of any sort. He frowned. "What are you doing here?" he said again, this time in his usual monotone.

Mello's glare faded, but he certainly hadn't calmed yet. "I…" why was he here again? Damn Near, if the freak hadn't made him angry he wouldn't have so much trouble answering the question. He shook it off. " I know you've been telling me things through Halle. I came to tell you I don't need your _help_."

Of course Mello knew this, he was doing the very same thing. Near supposed Mello just didn't want to be the one to admit they were cooperating first. They both knew they were working together, it was just a matter of who would admit it first.

Near's logic left him again as he answered. "I assumed you wanted to know what was going on in the case." Near shrugged, admitting his help. "But you tell me things through Halle as well, so I don't see what the problem is." That was a lie, Near knew exactly what the problem was. It was their dependency on each other.

Mello looked away for a moment, then looked Near in the eye. If looks could kill…

" I will **never** help you." So cold. That voice, is sounded so painfully truthful…

Near felt something sear inside him as Mello said those empty words. Those words that proved to the whole world that his rival felt nothing, not the slightest bit of humanity, towards him. Those words were far more fatal than the glare.

The blonde stepped back from Near, who seemed to be thinking. The albino's gaze was unfamiliar as it stayed locked with Mello's own. Mello pocketed his knife. His eyes gave nothing away. They were uncaring, angry, as always.

A minute passed, Near shook his head. " I do not need help," Near stated simply. The unfamiliar burning ache in his chest had no meaning, it wasn't as if he needed help. He was number one.

Mello fumed before composing himself as well. Suddenly, he smirked, leaning close to Near.

Number one fell against the wall.

Mello's smile could rival Satan's, sadistic as it was. " Of course you don't." He put a hand under Near's chin, making sure the albino could see his face. "You never need any help Near. I'm sure you'll be able to surpass any difficulties you encounter."

His tone of mocking left, and was filled with one of promise. "Just remember though, when you crumble like your little toy towers, I won't be there to help you." Mello's promise echoed through Near's head, itching at him. It made no sense, like an unsolvable puzzle.

Mello let go of the porcelain genius and gave one last life-shattering smile before turning for the door. "I'm leaving."

Near stared at his back. "Again."

Mello looked down, his tone as empty as he could make it as his emotions tried to take control of his mind. "I'm not coming back this time."

"You always do."

And this was the part where Mello would say _'I hate you, why would I come back?' _But today, he said nothing. Simply walked out the door, not once looking back.

xX--Xx

Near stared at his doorway long after Mello had left.

The burning in his chest turned to ice as he felt himself go numb. "Something's not right." Near slid to the ground as the walls seemed to disappear.

He continued to look at the door, his mind somehow still seeming to hope Mello would come back, say something, _anything more_. Just so that he wouldn't feel so cold. So that Near would know that the blonde would come back another day.

He always came back, so when he strayed from his normal pattern Near knew something had changed.

Something bad had happened.

Renewed waves of fire lit up his skin as his mind realized Mello might've been telling the truth. That Mello might not really be coming back.

Water threatened to spill over colorless cheeks, logic the only thing holding them back. Near gasped, shaking his head frantically.

"He will come back." His lips trembled slightly. "He always does." Firm this time.

A thought of doubt broke through the logic. _You know he won't. He meant it this time._

Near closed his eyes as tears slid down his face, no longer held back by thoughts.

His rival. Something about Mello made him interesting, irresistible. Perhaps it was because he was so unpredictable, confusing.

Near craved that confusion, that part of his life that would never become a monopoly. It was usually those days that Mello strayed from his patterns that the albino liked most. Those were the days he could almost feel the blonde's emotions radiating off of him in waves. All the anger and hate, the relief and smugness. Near relished those days.

Today had been different though. Today Mello had been different, but Near hadn't felt any irregular feelings coming from his rival. Maybe that meant he no longer cared that they were opponents in this game. Maybe that meant Mello really wasn't coming back this time.

The waves of dread pulled him under, Near knew he wasn't strong enough to fight back. He never had been good with emotions.

The colorless boy lay curled up on the floor, burning and breaking for unknown reasons, bleeding salty tears.

Only Mello could do this to him, make him shatter. No one else could make him feel so helpless and alone. So useless.

Near was number one in the world, in everyone's eyes. But not Mello's. Not anymore. Now he simply felt like a puddle of mud on the planet. A useless collection of filth that Mello would no longer pay any mind.

And that was all that mattered. How those blue eyes saw him. No one else mattered.

Near clutched his chest, wishing Mello hadn't come in the first place. It would've hurt less if Mello hadn't said anything, hadn't left on any note.

_'Just remember though, when you crumble like your little toy towers, I won't be there to help you.'_

Heh. Mello always seemed to be right when turmoil was involved.

Near finally looked away from the door, hugging his body tightly. There was no use, waiting for the door to open, Mello had already promised he wouldn't come.

Mello had known he would break over this, he'd known he wasn't coming back this time. Near knew this too as he lay curled up into himself, shaking. Near knew it, he didn't want to believe it. His entire being just wanted to reject the idea, crying and breaking because there was no choice in the matter.

Mello was gone for good.


	2. Mello

_**Broken Walls**_

_:Mello:_

A painful smirk arose on Mello's lips as he left the building. By now, Near had to be breaking. He had to be. That thought should've lightened the blonde's mood, but it didn't. He crossed the street, pulling his hood up to stop the pouring rain from soaking him.

For some reason, the thought of Near lying in pieces on the floor tore at him, made the accomplishment of breaking the albino upsetting.

He stopped walking, angered all over again. He banged his fists against a nearby building. "Why does he always do this to me?!" Mello's voice was ragged, betraying the regret he felt.

The blonde looked back, staring at SPK headquarters. His mind gave him two options. He could leave permanently, as he'd intended, or he could walk back in and see if he'd really broke Near. He smiled. The mental image of Near crying was rather appealing.

xX--Xx

Mello slipped back into the building, treading through the halls he knew all too well. Finally he came upon the door he'd left less than an hour ago.

Sobs echoed through the door, making Mello freeze. His eyes widened as he took in the noise. He'd never dreamt Near was even capable of making those noises, so painful and so human.

The waves of shock slowly passed, replaced by an urge to see the source of the weeping himself.

Slowly, cautiously, Mello pushed open the door, keeping himself from gasping at the sight before him.

Screw Near never crying! Mello definitely never imagined Near would ever be on the ground, trying holding himself together.

The blonde ran over, grabbing Near and holding him against his chest. Grey eyes blinked away water, shocked.

"What are you doing crying, moron?" Mello mumbled, rubbing the shaking albino's back. "You're not supposed to be weak, remember?"

Near let out another loud sob, tears streaking down his face as he hugged Mello with all his strength. Thank god he'd come back.

The blonde froze for a moment before continuing to rub the albino's back. Why hurt the kid more when he was already so weak? "You're supposed to be L's successor, the world can't afford for you to lose your head like this…" He said in a quiet tone, trying to get Near to go back to his emotionless self. Seeing the younger hurt like this was somehow unbearable.

The albino ignored Mello's words, simply squeezing him tighter, smiling into black leather.

"Y'know, if you hug me any tighter I might die from air depravation." The blonde was shocked that he wasn't repulsed by his rival hugging him, and that he wasn't doing anything about it. Only making light of it. Why did Near make him so forgiving? _He had hated him a few minutes ago…_

Snow white curls shifted as Near lifted his head. His watery eyes met Mello's for a moment before he buried his face into the leather again. "T-thank you for coming back."

Mello could practically feel Near's relief. He couldn't help but laugh.

"You're lucky I've got emotions or I **wouldn't** have come back." He continued to laugh.

Near tensed, holding tighter, fearing that Mello would change his mind about coming here.

Eventually the laughing stopped, and Mello gazed at the lump of white clinging to his chest.

"You know, you've always been like this," Mello stated, hands going through silky white hair. "I always think I'm the weak one, for always changing my mind. But really… you're the one that needs someone's help."

Near closed his eyes, hands clenching the leather shirt tighter. He was trying to focus on the moment, and not the dread of what was bound to happen soon.

"Calm down Near." Arms wrapped around the albino, embracing him. "I'm not going to leave." Near immediately melted, loosening his grip and sighing.

The two stayed like that for a while, until Near's pained sounds ceased, the albino leaning into Mello relaxed.

After a while they heard stirring in the halls. Mello knew he'd be shot if he stayed much longer. The SPK really didn't like him, seeing how he murdered most of their workers and all.

He let go of Near, gently prying himself from his rival. Near momentarily panicked, grabbing him tightly. "It's okay Near."

Grey eyes looked up into blue.

"I'll come back. It's not like you're competent enough to be L all by yourself. I think you've proved that today." Near let go of Mello, smiling slightly despite the fact he'd just been made fun of.

The blonde made for the door, not really up to a confrontation with Near's trigger-happy bodyguards. He opened the door, pausing as he heard Near mumble something.

"See you."

Mello looked back, seeing Near smiling his demented little smile from where he sat. The blonde turned back toward the door, leaving before the SPK could detect him.

He couldn't help but smile to himself as he made his way back home. Near would always need him, and somehow that seemed to be okay.

Near would always be weak. But Mello would always be strong enough for the both of them; he would always be the unbreakable walls.


End file.
